Department of Parks and Recreation

DEPARTMENT OF PARKS & RECREATION​

Ka ʻOihana Mālama Pāka a me nā Hana Hoʻonanea

03/11/24 Vote to make Ala Moana Regional Park the “Best City Park” in the country!

Monday, March 11, 2024

Nate Serota: (808) 768-3046

Vote to make Ala Moana Regional Park the “Best City Park” in the country!

Ala Moana Regional Park voting banner 2024

O‘AHU – One of the most beloved and popular parks in Hawai‘i is being recognized as one of the best in the country! Now we need your help to make Ala Moana Regional Park the “Best City Park” by voting in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards.

From now until 6:59 a.m. HST on Monday, April 8, 2024 you can vote for the “People’s Park” everyday online by visiting: bit.ly/votealamoana  

The 119-acre park located in the heart of Honolulu boasts a wide variety of natural and man-made park amenities. From surfing the waves in the outer reef, to jogging along the scenic pathway amidst a botanical variety of trees, this park is widely considered one of the most popular parks in Hawai‘i! Read more about this historic park on its dedicated website at bit.ly/AlaMoanaPark

Currently, the Diamond Head-side bathhouse at Ala Moana Regional Park is undergoing renovations as part of our continued Kākou for Parks Program, and is expected to reopen in April 2024. This nationally recognized program has resulted in 166 renovated comfort station across O‘ahu since 2015, most recently improving the bathrooms at Swanzy Beach Park and the ‘Ewa-side bathhouse at Ala Moana. Visit bit.ly/kakouforparks for more information.

Other recent park improvement efforts include 26 trees planted in the park in October 2023 and on-going improvements to the fabled McCoy Pavilion. These improvements to McCoy Pavilion are affecting the tennis courts, and their evening light schedule. Information about the current lighting schedule and court availability is posted on the court fencing.   

Ala Moana Regional Park as we know it today rests on reclaimed land that was once swampy marshland. It was part of historic change in land-use, a large development of open areas needed for additional space beginning in the 1920’s.

Structural construction of the park began soon after the land was created in the 1930’s. A Sport Pavilion, Banyan Court, lawn bowling green, Bridle Path Bridge, and the Roosevelt entry Portals were some of the initial park amenities. The two ponds and drainage canals were additionally dredged around 1932 for both aesthetic and the practical purpose of control local water run-off. The park was dedicated in 1934 by then president Franklin Delano Roosevelt and dubbed “The People’s Park”.

Following the use of the park as a military battery and staging area during WW II, the park experienced restoration and evolution throughout the 1990’s.  Beginning in 1954, the mile-long sandy beach fronting the park was constructed. From 1957 to 1961 several park features were added, including concession and bathhouse facilities at both the Diamond Head and Ewa ends of the park. In 1962, the 47-acre ʻĀina Moana (Magic Island) was constructed. Originally conceptualized as a major resort area, it was later added to the park as additional open space. 1975 saw the addition of McCoy Pavilion and later in the 1990’s additional bridges were added over the canals.

Today, the significance of the park remains paramount in the lives of local residents and visitors.  As one of the state’s oldest and busiest parks, currently seeing an estimated four million users every year, Ala Moana Regional Park has become an integral part of our island community. The City hopes this facility will continue to be a resource that the public treasures, all while hosting annual events, such as the Lantern Floating Ceremony, and special occasions, such as the return of the Hōkūleʻa from the Mālama Honua Worldwide Voyage in June 2017.

The USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards highlight top-notch attractions and businesses, providing readers with trusted recommendations. Recently, the Honolulu Zoo was among 20 facilities across the country that were selected by a panel of experts to be voted as the “Best Zoo in America,” focusing on zoos that excel in animal care and enrichment, while developing meaningful interactions between animals and humans. The final results from that survey will be revealed on Friday, March 15 at 7 a.m. HST.

If you need an auxiliary aid/service, other accommodations due to a disability, or an interpreter for a language other than English in reference to this announcement, please contact the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation at (808) 768-3003 on weekdays from 7:45 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. or email parks@honolulu.gov at least three business days before the scheduled event. Without sufficient advanced notice, it may not be possible to fulfill requests.

—PAU—

Follow the Honolulu Department of Parks and Recreation online and on social media:

YouTube: bit.ly/DPRyoutube    Twitter: @honolulu_parks   Instagram: @honolulu_parks 

Facebook: facebook.com/honolulu.parks    Nextdoor: bit.ly/DPRnextdoor     Website: honolulu.gov/parks

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